Billet conveying apparatus for heating furnaces



M. K. NYE

July' 7, 1931.,

BILLET CONVEYING APPARATUS FOR HEATING FURNACES Filed Feb.

12. 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet l4 NVENTOR. K. /V ye YW fmm ATTORNEY M. K. NYE 1,813,195

BILLET -CONVEYING APPARATUS FOR HEATING FURNACES July 7, 1931.

Filed Feb. 12, 1930 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 ATTORNEY Patented July 7,1931

UNITED *STATES MAXIMILIAN K. NYE,v F ELLWOOD CITY, PENNSYLVANIA BILLET oonvnrrive Ai-PARATUS For. HnATiNG rURNAons i Application ined February l12, 1930. sei-iai No. Massi.

My invention relates to furnaces and apparatus for conveying stock or billets therethrough, relating in particular to conveying the material to be heated' through a heating furnace in step-by-step order.

The inventi-on has forfits principal object,

to provide an apparatus, in connection with.

a furnace, wherein the stock' or billets are picked up at the receiving end of the furnace and advanced in timed step-by-step order through the furnace and discharged at the other end thereof.

Another object is, to heateach article to a like temperature during its passage through the furnace.

Another object is, to pass the billets through the furnace in equidistant spaced relation. Y o

Further objects are, to provide simple and practical mechanism embodying as few parts as possible and wherein liability to become out of order is reduced to a minimum.

lVith the above objectsin view, I have illustrated in the accompanying drawings'one embodiment of my invention 'adapted for carrying out the same.

Referring to the drawings;

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a 'furnace equipped with the apparatus, partly in section. V Fig. 2 is a similar view, partly in section, and in which greater details of construction are shown.

Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the saine, partly in section on the line II-II, Fig. 1 and elsewhere. Y

Fig. 4 is an elevation of the opposite end, partly in section.

Fig. 5 is an end view of the'loading table, per se. l y 'i Fig. 6 is an end elevation of a part assembly of the device on the line VI-VI, Fig. 4 and y Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the elevator reciprocating member, on a reduced scale.

In the several views, like detail parts, where they occur, are designated by like numerals of reference,

The apparatus embodies a heating furnace 1 disposed upon a foundation 2 and having a space 3 between the furnace bottoni 4 and said foundation to confine the major pait of the operating mechanism. The furnace proper i is p rovided at one end with a' receiving doorway 5 and at the opposite end with a discharge doorway 6, there' being a depressed portion such as spaced longitudinal channels 7-'7 formed throughout the furnace bottom 4 and extending through the doorways. y

Suitably secured n upon vthe foundation,` within the space 3, is a bed plate 8, provided with two sets of fixed standards 9 and 10, the set 9 carrying a pair of paralleling rods 11 and the set 10 a pair of'similar paralleling rods i I 12. Slidably supported upon said rods, by

means of the integral bearings 13 at the lower corners thereof, is the horizontally reciprocati ing member for carrying the elevator, being in thel form of an upright housing 14. o The reciprocable member comprises the complementary plates 15, spaced apart and secured by bolts 16, each ofsaid'plates being provided with a pair of spaced horizontally disposed and elongated shaft openings 17, those of one plate registering with those in the other, each plate being further pro-vided with vertically disposed openings 18 which likewise register with-one another. The inner surface portion, of each plate is provided with vertically disn posed bearing strips 19. VSecured upon the outer face portions of each of said plates, ad- Y jacent the ends of the shaft openings therein,

are thevertically arranged adjusting abutments or bars 20 and 21secured by bolts 16 and-16, the upper bars 21 being capable of adjustment tov orfrom the shaft openings.

Within the reciprocable member, bearing l against the strips 19, is arranged the ele-vating portion or member 22, provided at each side with outstanding guide blocks 23 for very being each supported in bearing standards 27 located at both sides of tlie'housingand secured to the bed plate. Each shaft has also secured thereto the push members or levers 28, one at each side of the housing, and are adapted to cooperate with the aforesaid adj usting bars to actuate the reciprocable member as hereinafter' set forth. The shaft of each cam is further provided at one end thereof, with a fixed worm wheel 29 of corn responding pitch, each of which meshes with a like worm 30 upon the drive shaft 3l supported by bearing standards 32 secured to the bed plate. The elevating member is also provided with a pair of like hooks 33 pivotally secured at one end thereof and are adapted to cooperate with a fixed transverse bar 34 carried by lugs 34 integral with the loading table 35 and adapted to function with the said bar as locking means to prevent longitudinal movement of the elevating inember and the housing portion thereof at a Cer tain period of operation, as hereinafter set forth.

The elevatingr member is further provided with a vertical extension 22 at each end which are suitably secured to the horizontally disposed parallel carrier bars 37 extending Within the channels 7 of the furnace bottom and projecting therefrom at their ends, said extensions and bars being, in fact, the upper part of the elevator. rihe loading ends of the bars are turned downwardlyand have a hose 38 attached thereto, the discharge ends of said bars being inclined downwardly and likewise provided with a hose connection 39. The purpose of the hose connections is, so that water may be circulated through the bars to prevent injury thereto by the furnace heat. The bars are cach preferably strengthened by an X bar 40 fitted therein.

A loading support in the form of a table 35, is secured to the bed plate at its base, and provided with spaced vertically extended supports 36 at the top thereof which project up between and at each side of the elevating members, each support having an integral projecting part 4l extending toward and adjacent to the end wall of the furnace. The upper surface of the support aligns with the furnace bottom.

The furnace is also provided with suitablel doors 42 and 43, respectively, which, when closed, rest upon the carrier bars.

The doors are adapted to be automatically opened and closed, as later disclosed, by means of wire cables 44, 45, 46, 47 and 47 The cable 44 is attached at one end to the elevating member 22 and attached at the other end to a pulley 48 secured upon a shaft extending across the end of the bed plate and supported by bearing brackets 50, 5l and 52 fixed to said bed plate. The said shaft 49 has also fixed thereto the pulleys 53 and 54. To the pulley 53 is secured the cable 45 and to the pulley 54 the cable 46. The latter two cables extend upwardly in parallel relation and are also fixed to the pulleys 55 and 56, respectively, secured to a shaft 57 extending across the top of the discharge end of the furnace and mounted in bearing brackets 58 and 58 fixed to the furnace. rEhe shaft 57 also carries a fixed puliey wheel 59 upon which is secured one end of the cable 47, said cable being attached at its other' end to the discharge door 43. Another cable 47 is secured to pulley 59, passes over a pulley 60 mounted in bra ekets 6l fixed upon the other end of the furnace and attached to the receiving door 42.

Upon each of the rods l2 is arranged a collart'35 adapted as an abutment for the housing bearings 13 and may be adjusted to conform to any change desired in the longitudinal movement of the reciprocating member of the elevator and consequent change in the step of the billet through the furnace.

Operation therewith and automatically disengaging or unlocking the hooks 33 from the table bar 34, also elevating the doors. As soon as the cams have reached the elevated posit-ion, at the beginning of their concentric surface, the push levers 23 come into engagement with the push bars 2l, forcing the recinrocative meniber and elevator with attached conveyor bars to the right, as indicated by dot and dash lines in Fig. 2.

rPhe cams having now reached the end of their concentric surfaces, and the push lever l having left the push bars 2l, the elevator descends leaving the billet advanced one step to the position within the furnace and resting upon the bottom thereof, within the doorway, as indicated at B. The push lever 28 then comes into engagement with the push bars 2O returning the reciprocating member and elevating member and bars thereof to their original full line position, the doors also descending, as shown by full lines, thus completing onev cycle of operation, similar cycles following in their order of sequence.

During the return. movement, the hooks 33 engage at their forward inclined surfaces with the bar 34 of the table, causing the free ends thereof to be elevated over the said bar and then descend into locked position therewith.

Upon each succeeding cycle of operation the billet B advances one step farther through ends of the bars onto a` suitable conveyor,

not shown. e

In actual practice, an attendant places one bar afteranother upon the table, which pass in step-by-step order, and in equidistant spaced relation, in and through the furnace,

as above set forth, each being heated to the desired temperature` by the time it is discharged from the furnace.

As will be apparent, the apparatus is in fact a joint elevator and conveyor adapted to operate in alternately vertical and horizontal directions, for conveying billets through the furnace in spaced relation.

While I have shown and described a specilic embodyment of my invention, I desire that said embodiment be regarded as illustrative only and that the appended claims be accorded the broadest construction consistent with the prior art.

Having thus shown and described my invention, what I claim isl. In an apparatus for the purpose set forth, the combination with a furnace having doorways and doors and a channeled space in the bottom thereof extending through the doorways, of an elevator having its upper portion disposed within the furnace channel and extending outside the doorways, means operated by a vertically operating portion of said elevator for raising and lowering the vfurnace doors, said upper portion of the elevator being movable alternately vertically and horizontally within the furnace channel whereby the upper portion may pick up, advance and deposit billets in step-by-step order through the furnace, the discharge door adapted to serve as an abutment against which said billet engages to remove the same from said elevator when said elevator moves toward thereceiving end of the furnace, and

locking means for holding the elevator mechanism against prematurely moving toward the discharge end of the furnace in beginning its upward movement, said locking means au-y tomatically unlocking as the elevator ascends and automatically relooking when said elevator has descended and moves toward its receiving end.

'2. In an apparatus for the purpose set forth, the combination with a furnace havling doorways and doors and a channeledv space in the bottom thereof extending through the doorways, of an elevator having its upper portion disposedV longitudinally within the furnace channel and extending outside the doorways, means operated by the elevator for raising and loweringthe furnace door, means adjacent the entrance lof the furnace for supporting the billet for initial pick up, said upper portion of the elevator extending through channels in thebillet supporting means and being movable alternately vertically and horizontally within the furnace channel to pick up, advance and deposit billets in step/-by-step order through the furnace and locking means for holding the elevator against prematurely moving toward the discharge end of the furnace upon starting its upward movement, said locking means automatically unlocking as the elevator ascends andl automatically relooking when said elevator moves toward its receiving end. K

8. In an apparatus for the purpose f set forth, the combination with a furnace having longitudinal channels in the bottom thereof Vof a reciprocable vmember slidably` mounted uponV supporting means beneath the f furnace bottom for horizontalmovement, an elevator arranged therein for-vertical vmovements the upper portion thereof comprising horizontally disposed parallel conveyor bars,

extending along within the furnace channels rotatable means for imparting verticalk movements to the elevator, rotatable means for imparting horizontal movements to said mein-` ber and elevator, and meansfor preventing the elevator from being displaced horizontally when the same is about to ascend. l

4'. The combination with a furnace of horifurnace bottom, member mounted for horizontal movement on said rods, an elevatonv arranged in said member for movement therewith, shafts mounted in fixed bearings,

a cam on each of said shafts for raising and loweringl the elevator, andpush levers also mounted on said shafts to operate the said member and the elevator simultaneouslyvin their horizontal movements. v

5. A furnace having opposite doorways and channels extending along the furnace bottom and through the doorways, doors for said furnace, means for supporting a billet outside the doorway at the receiving end of and in line with the'furnace bottom, an elevator the upper port-ion of which comprises spaced longitudinal bars disposed within the furnace ies channels, a horizontally movable housing within which the lower portion of the elevator is disposed and adapted for vertical movements, camseach rigid upon a shaft and adapted to vertically actuate the elevator, pushlevers also rigid upon the said shafts for engaging abutments on said housing to operate said housing and saidrelevator in back and forth directions,.means for operating said camsand push levers simultaneously,

and means connecting the furnace doors with the elevator for automatically opening and closing said doors.

6. In an Vapparatus for the purpose set forthl` the combination with a heating furwheel on each of said shafts, and a power nace having opposite doorways with verti-calshaft provided with worms meshing with ly slidable doors and channels extending said wheels.

along the furnace bottom through the doorways, of a pair of horizontally and longitudinally operable bars disposed through said channels, an elevator of which said bars form a part, a horizontally movable housing Within which said elevator is confined for its operating movements, means for vertically actuating said elevator to raise and lower the said bars thereof above and below the plane of the furnace bottom, means for operating the horizontally movable housing to actuate said bars in horizontal directions, the upward movement of said bars being followed by a longitudinal movement in one direction of same and the downward movement followed by a longitudinal movement in the opposite direction, means for operating the elevator and its bars with up and down movements, and means cooperating with the horizontally movable housing to move said bars in their horizontal movements.

7. A step by step billet conveying apparatus for a heating furnace provided with opposite doorways, doors, and channels formed in the bottom thereof and extending through said doorways, the combination of an elevator provided with spaced longitudinal bars operatively disposed within said channels and ex tending through the doorways, a horizontally reciprocable member formed of a pair of cornplementary plates providing a space there between within which the elevator is disposed for vertical movements, cams upon which the elevator engages to operate the latter in its vertical movements, push members for engaging and operating the horizontally reciprocable member for imparting a like movement to the elevator, a system of pulleys and cables adapted when the elevator is raised and lowered to raise and lower the said doors, and

means for operating the cams and push memp bers.

8. The combination with a furnace havinga channeled bot-tom, of an elevator including a body portion and an upper parallel bar portion, said bar portion extending along through the furnace channels, a horizontally movable housing within which the body portion of the elevator is disposed for vertical movement said housing being provided with side abutm-ents with which .the elevator body engages, a pair of horizontally disposed rods between which said housing is disposed and on which the said housing is mounted for horizontal movement, a pair of shafts mounted in standards, each shaft being provided with fixed push members to engage the housing abutments and move said housing in a horizontal direction, xed cams on said shafts engaging the body of the elevator and adapted to operate the elevator vertically, a worm In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

MAXIMILIAN K. NYE. 

